MKI’s Goodwill Ambassador Jimmie Earl Perry stars in Hour of Power Christmas Concert in the Netherlands.

After a successful world AIDS concert in Cape Town on December 1, Goodwill Ambassador Jimmie Earl Perry has been singing the stars from the sky during the 6 Hour of Power Christmas Concerts in the Netherlands.

Jimmie’s involvement in this years Christmas concerts is the results of a very special relationship which started about six months ago when I met with the Director of Hour of Power Netherlands, Louis Pool.

Louis and his wife Erna joined Yasmin and I during our summer visit to South Africa. Hour of Power Netherlands had just created “Heart for Children” a Dutch foundation which mission it is to create small homes for the many orphans in Africa.

With the help of my contacts in South Africa the first home was found within the first days of our visit and now the mothers running the home of “Heart for Children” are also part of MKI’s educational program in South Africa.

Louis and Erna Pool dedicated to “Heart for Children” appointed me Goodwill Ambassador together with the famous American tenor Daniel Rodriquez.

That is why this years Hour of Power’s Christmas concert were dedicated not only to “Heart for Children” but also to MKI. Hence the invitation for Jimmie Earl Perry to join Daniel Rodriquez and Dutch famous young singer Sharon Kips. These three wonderful voices have been enjoyed by more than 12,000 people in the 6 concerts (Utrecht, december 13 - Leiden, december 15 – Rotterdam, december 16 – Drachten, december 17 – Maastricht, december 19 and Arnhem, december 20)

Many thanks to the wonderful friends of Hour of Power Netherlands, especially to Louise Pool and Jan van den Bosch.

Pictures:

Jimmie in concert with Daniel Rodriquez abd Sharon Kips, and during the break with Baron Kraijenhoff and his granddaughter Pamela van Reesema.

For more pictures visit the photo gallery on the website of the Medical Knowledge Institute: http://www.infomki.org/

Political visitors interested in the activities of MKI during the Christmas Concerts

Two under ministers from the Netherlands were among the 1,900 visitors at the Christmas concert on December 16 in Rotterdam.

Marja van Bijsterveldt, under minister for education and Jack de Vries, under minister of defense, showed great interest in the activities of MKI.

They both spent time at the MKI stand in the Laurence Church talking to not only some of our volunteers but also to the members of the MKI Youth Club.

Marja van Bijsterveldt was very impressed with the members of our youth club and made it a point of sharing her feelings with the youngsters.

They both purchased YOELL bracelets and promised to keep in touch.

MKI’s YOELL® collection glitters at Millionair Fair in Amsterdam 2008

Well she did it again! Wilma Veen, MKI’s Goodwill Ambassador for YOELL® invited MKI for the second time to join her and her beautiful paintings at her stand at the Millionair Fair in Amsterdam.

Many thousands of people joined the opening event in Amsterdam last night which I can easily say was the best of those that I attend since the creation of this every unusual fair. This is the place where the rich and famous of Holland is mingling to see and to be seen .

Goodwill Ambassador Wilma Veen and her colleague Ambassador Barbara Barend did everything within their power (which is al lot!) to get the audience to purchase YOELL® bracelets. They even got their own families involved.

Well known Dutch TV presenters, politicians, sports men and women walked around at the end of the evening with the beautiful YOELL bracelets produced by the our HIV/AIDS infected ladies at the MKI Health Information Centres in the various townships of South Africa.

It was amazing to see well-known Dutch men, like Peter R. de Vries, Ed Nijpels, Frits Barend, Brian Roy and Harry Mens, to name a few, looking through the different collection to find the one with the most beautiful colors.

It was a great success and for the next four days MKI will continue to enjoy the spotlight at the Millionair Fair in Amsterdam. Many thanks to Wilma Veen and her husband Andre. They are both so dedicated to the mission of MKI!

Pictures: YOELL’s man of the first hour Rodrigo Otazu came to visit our stand; Wilma’s beautiful stand at the Miljonairs Fair; Ed Nijpels showing off his YOELL’s to Barbara Barend; Two of MKI’s Goodwill Ambassadors, Wilma Veen and Barbara Barend.

Visiting Baphumelele

The day after worlds AIDS day I had the privilege to accompanying Baron and Baroness Kraijenhoff for a meeting with Rosie Mashale, otherwise known as Mama Rosie to Baphumelele.
Rosie is the founder of this very special HOME in the township of Khayelitsha. MKI has very special relationship with Baphumelele and of course with Rosie. It is on the campus of this home that MKI has been given the space and the freedom to create one of our Health Information Centers’.

Baphumelele Waldorf Association is a non profit organisation located in the heart of Khayelitsha, The founder, Rosalia Mashale, a trained primary school teacher, moved from the Eastern Cape in 1989 and was disturbed to see young children going through the rubbish dump in search of food. Together with a group of women from the community, Rosalia began looking after these unsupervised children in the area. After the first week, 36 children had joined their charge. The name given to this project was Baphumelele (pronounced: bah-poo-meh-LAY-lay), a Xhosa word meaning “progress”.
Rosie took her time to show her special guests around and she took her time to show and share with them her new special program “save heaven”. A hi-tech flap with cot, camera and alarm has been unveiled in the bid to save the lives of hundreds of abandoned babies. This flap will allow desperate mothers to place their unwanted babies in a place where they will be safe and cared for

The Baron and Baroness were extraordinary impressed with the humanitarian activities of Rosie. They thanked Rosie not only for her unlimited love for the many orphans, but also for her great support of MKI and this projects in South Africa.

World AIDS day 2008 in South Africa

MKI was honored during the world AIDS day gala in Cape Town, organized by the Africa Centre for HIV Management at Stellenbosch University.

This black tie event, with a touch of red was attended by many officials including the mayor of Cape Town, Helen Zille, recently decorated with the title, “Major of the World”.

Prof. Jan du Toit, Founder and director of the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS management, and a member of MKI’s Board of Advisors, shared with the audience the special relationship his Centre is starting to develop with MKI. In the coming months we will build on this special relationship.

Prof. Jimmie Earl Perry, the create arts director at the Centre has been recently appointed MKI’s goodwill Ambassador for Creative Arts.
Jimmie will be participating in the upcoming Hour of Power Concerts, as MKI goodwill Ambassador throughout the Netherlands.


Picture: Harold Robles, Baroness Kraijenhoff and goodwill ambassador Jimmie Earl Perry.

A new MKI Health Information Center in Stellenbosch

On World AIDS day 2008 at 11 o’clock in the morning a wild peach tree was planned on the side where in the very near future another MKI Health Information Centre will offer healthcare education and healthcare information to the people of four townships, Kayamandi, Cloetesville, Idasville and Jamestown.
It was exactly two years ago that Volckert van Reesema and Eliane Cordia got married in Somerset West. Instead of spending their honeymoon in some 5 star resort hotel they decided to spend their honeymoon days in the township on Kayamandi at the home of Aubrey Mpemnyama, otherwise known as Madiba and his wife Florence. Eliane and Volckert fell in love with Kayamandi and the surrounding townships. They made a commitment to help the people of Kayamandi.
Volckert, the grandson of our Honorary Chairman had been hearing about our grassroots activities in South Africa and that is how I met these two wonderful excited young people which led to the creation on another MKI Health Information Centre on top of Legacy, a community centre of the Stellenbosch Gemeente in Kayamandi.
So on World AIDS day Volckert and Eliane, in the presence of their grandfather and grandmother officially left their “legacy” in Kayamandi by announcing at a small world AIDS celebration event that they would support the creation of another Health Information centre which would serve four townships.
It was truly a wonderful event with ladies dressed in their beautiful African dresses and children with painted faces. They offered praise by dancing and singing beautiful songs.
What a way of celebrating your second wedding anniversary.
Thank you so much dear Eliane and Volckert for making a difference.

Pictures: Eliane and Volckert meeting with Desmond Tutu; Grandfather Kraijenhoff introducing the married couple; after the planning of the tree.

Powerful workshops on sexual offenses

In the week of November 24 our MKI health Information Centers’ in Khayelitsha and Kayamandi have been the setting for the powerful workshop on sexual offenses.

Many local woman and man from several townships participated in this very interactive workshop under the dynamic leadership of MKI facilitator Naomi Holdt, a psychologist from Kwa-Zula Natal.

Approximately every 60 seconds in South Africa, an incidence of sexual assault is occurring. Only 1 in every 9 of these sexual offenses is reported, and of these there is only a 4-6% conviction rate. The government has stated that these shocking statistics are clearly a sign of a ‘dysfunctional society’, and in response to this, in November 2007; a new Sexual Offenses Act was released.

This workshop has been designed to bring knowledge of this act, and of people’s rights regarding this act, to grass root levels. The aim of this workshop is to empower the South African population with knowledge regarding their rights in terms of sexual offenses, and the process of reporting these offenses and receiving medical care. It highlights critical issues surrounding the entitlement of victims to knowledge of the perpetrators HIV status, and the victims rights in terms of receiving medication and information on HIV, STD’s, pregnancy etc. The hope is that with a heightened awareness of rights, more sexual offenses will be prevented and reported, and that a greater awareness of the criminal procedure may lead to a heightened sense of empowerment. It is also hoped that knowledge of basic considerations and steps to follow after an offense has been committed may lead to more evidence being able to be collected, and thus a greater conviction rate.

During this sometimes very emotional first day in Khayelitsha three women, empowered by their facilitator took the stand by creating on the stop the SOS Group (Sexual Offenses Support Group). They felt that it was about time that something being done to stop the increasing problems relating to this issue.

Kirsty Stiff, MKI’s South African representative offered the ladies space at the center for their meetings. The first meeting has been planned for December 3rd.

Bas van Wersch, member of MKI’s Board of Directors and his partner Barbra will be attending today’s meeting in Khayelitsha.

Participants have been provided with a booklet regarding Sexual offenses and a hard copy list of places to seek assistance.

An unforgettable meeting with my old friend Desmond Tutu

This morning ( Friday November 28, 2008)
I left Straightway Head Country Hotel in Somerset West at around 5:45 for St. Georges Cathedral in Cape Town.

I was fortunate to be accompanied by my honorary Chairman Baron Kraijenhoff en his darling wife but also by many MKI friends from Europe and South Africa.

What a joy it was to see my old friend again. During the ecumenical service he invited me to introduce my guests to him. He was impressed with my memory. During the service we all had to come forward to get

He used to preach very often in St. Georges Cathedral during the time that he was Archbishop of Cape Town.

After the service we all got invited for a light breakfast with Desmond Tutu which gave us time to have some private time with him. We exchanged gifts which he really enjoyed.

From the Baron and Baroness he received a beautiful delfts blue plate depicting the church of Delft. On behalf of my wife I presented him with a gift for Mrs. Tutu.

He shared with how thankful he was for having had the opportunity to write something about MKI and its mission in the Journal of Public Health Management Practice which just came out a few weeks ago.

Adriaan Nuhn and his wife Glenda were among the MKI friends that joined me this morning. Adriaan is the Chairman to be of MKI’s Supervisory Board.

Tonight the daughter and son in law of the family Cordia, owners of the Straightway Country Hotel, are hosting a fundraising dinner for MKI in honor of the Baron and Baroness at their hotel in Somerset West. The Cordia’s are great supporters of MKI.

An unforgettable day for MKI.

Just for your information Desmond Tutu is a member of MKI's International Board of Advisors.

Tomorrow I report about the successful workshops of the last couple of days.

With my Honorary Chairman to South Africa

After a delay of more than 2 hours we finally left Schiphol airport in Amsterdam on Saturday November 22nd for Cape Town.

On this trip I am been accompanied by my honorary Chairman, Guup, Baron Kraijenhoff and his darling wife Yvonne, the Baroness.

I am so honored for these two very special people to join me to finally see the many things MKI is doing in South Africa. Guup also felt that after the many stories from others he finally wanted to see it for him self.

After a rest day on Sunday, we started the first workshop on Monday, November 24 in our Health Information Centre in Khayelitsha.
Under the dynamic leadership of MKI’s facilitator Naomi Holdt, a psychologist from the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal about 20 participants were empowered on the topic of sexual offenses, a timely and well received workshop of 2 days.

The first day of the workshop ended with the creation of the SOS Group (Sexual Offences Support Group) made up of some of the participants who will be looking for ways of expanding on the topic by promoting the issues discussed in the township of Khayelitsha.

Kirsty Stiff, MKI’s South African Directors offered the centre for meetings and other kind of activities of this newly formed group of powerful woman ready for making a difference. The first meeting of the group is planned for December 3rd

This coming Wednesday and Thursday the workshop will be repeated in the Stellenbosch for our trainers from four different townships, Kayamadi, Cloetersville, Idasvalley and Jamestown.

On Friday November 28, we have been invited to a church service conducted by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu after which we will have a private meeting with him.

Baron and Baroness Kraijenhoff shown on the picture above during the first day of our workshop in Khayelitsha.

There is more to come, kind regards,
Harold Robles

Glennis Grace MKI's newest Goodwill Ambassador

On Saturday November 15, 2008 the famous Dutch singer Glennis Grace was appointed Goodwill Ambassadors for MKI's YOELL project.

This event took place at the department store De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam.

Glennis was appointed by Barbara Barend and Wilma Veen, both Goodwill Ambassadors of MKI.

It was a great event, thanks to the support of De Bijenkorf.

Welcome to my blog

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to my personal blog.
Plans are to use this blog for quick up to date information about my activities and the many activities of the Medical Knowledge Institute (MKI).

Many thanks to the many volunteers who made this blog possible.
Please do visit this blog from time to time to follow my activities.

With kind regards,
Harold Robles